Friday, September 6, 2013

The Kingdom May Be Entered by Different Circumstances & The Kingdom is Made Personal by a Transaction

Scripture: Matthew
13:44-46

"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the
field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and
sells all that he has and buys that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a
merchant seeking fine pearls,and upon finding one pearl of great
value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Insights:The fifth principle is the kingdom may be entered by different
circumstances.Notice I said circumstances not ways.There is only one way
to heaven and that is through faith in Jesus Christ for your salvation, but the
circumstances in which one finds Jesus may be different.In the first parable the man just comes
across the treasure while working the field.He was not out there intentionally trying to find it.In the second parable the man knows exactly
what he's looking for and is spending his life trying to find it.The sixth principle is the kingdom is made
personal by a transaction.In both of
these cases, the word buying or bought is involved.You may be saying to yourself, “Wait a minute,
you're not telling us you buy your salvation or work for it, are you?”The kingdom of God is bought, but not with
money or works.The transaction price is
you give up all you are and have for all Jesus is and has.I don't think people who are saved at the
moment they're saved, understand all the ramifications of that statement, but I
believe true salvation is marked by a willingness to do that as that
understanding unfolds. That's the transaction, the willingness to abandon
everything under Christ's Lordship.I
think the cost factor in the presentation of salvation is not stressed often
enough. We are calling for a transaction.In Luke 14, the Lord says a man builds a tower and he counts the cost to
determine whether he has enough funds sufficient to finish it.If a king makes war, he counts the cost,
consults whether he's able with ten thousand to meet him that comes against him
with twenty thousand. Nobody enters the kingdom blind. One must count the cost first.Let me interject here, however, that the
transaction price of total surrender and abandonment of self is absolutely
nothing in comparison to the great joy and satisfaction found in Jesus Christ.For it was through His work on Calvary with
His death that the true price of this transaction was paid.For He also gave up everything for You!

Questions:

Are you actively searching for the kingdom of God or
have you stumbled upon it?

Are you willing to give up all that you are and have to
receive all that Jesus is and has?

Prayer: Father, Your
plan of leading people to You is amazing.May all of humanity surrender their entire being to You in order to
receive Your gift of grace. Amen.